Page 38 of Glacier

Iwoke slowly, grimacing at the sticky residue between my thighs. How the hell did I forget birth control? Ah, well, no use crying over spilled milk. What was done was done.

Glacier’s arm tightened like a vice around my waist when I moved, his sleep-heavy voice rumbling from his chest as he murmured, “Where are you going?”

I patted his arm. “Bathroom.”

“K,” he mumbled sleepily. “Come back, though.”

“Okay,” I whispered, getting out of bed.

After taking care of necessities in the bathroom, I jumped in the shower, washing yesterday away. I centred myself and thought about everything that had happened this weekend. I went through a few breathing exercises my therapist had shown me.

By the time I stepped out of the shower, I knew without a doubt that moving to Bitterthorn needed to happen sooner rather than later. I’d have to speak to Fin to see what he wanted to do. He could finish out the year at home and then transfer. I’d call a family meeting as soon as I was back home.

Wrapping a towel around my head, I secured another around my body and walked back into the bedroom. A smile tugged at my lips when I saw the large man sprawled over most of the bed. My pillow was bunched in his arms, his face buried in it.

Leaving him to sleep, I slipped on a clean pair of panties and one of his flannel shirts. With one last look at him, I left the room. Coffee was the first item on my agenda.

It didn’t take long to brew a cup. I snagged the blanket draped over the back of the couch as I passed and stepped out onto the porch. It was early; the sun was painting the sky a soft, rosy pink.

I walked over to the small table and chairs set up in the corner and placed my coffee down. Wrapping the blanket around me, I sat and drew my bare legs beneath it, shielding them from the cool dawn air. Once I was comfortable, I reached for my coffee and took a slow sip.

It was silent and peaceful. Sometimes, it was easy to get caught up in the rush of everyday life and forget about the quiet beauty of a morning like this. I would be rushing back into that life soon enough, but for now, I let myself enjoy these few minutes of calm.

I was halfway through my cup of coffee when the snap of a twig disturbed the early morning silence, followed by the scuff of boots on the ground as someone stumbled and cursed.

Sitting forward in the chair, I peered down the road towards the clubhouse to see Lawless meandering drunkenly on his way home.

Lurch stepped out onto his porch dressed in nothing but a pair of jeans and boots, a cup of coffee in his hand. Leaning a shoulder against the porch post, he crossed his arms and watched Lawless stumble towards us. Shaking his head, he bit back a smile as he lifted his coffee to his mouth.

Unwrapping the blanket from around me, I stood up and went back into the house, filling a mug with coffee and topping up my own. I grabbed a couple of bottles of water from the fridge and the strip of painkillers on the counter, stuffing them into the front pocket of my shirt.

With the water bottles tucked under my arm and a mug of coffee in each hand, I walked back outside. I set everything on the table, then stepped off the porch and headed towards Lawless. I wrapped an arm around his waist and guided him towards Glacier’s porch.

He turned bleary red eyes on me. “Hey, Ju.”

“Hi, Law. Tied one on last night, huh?”

“Yep.” He nodded, weaving on his feet and nearly taking us both down.

Lurcher appeared, taking Lawless’s weight from me.

“Dumbass,” he rumbled, guiding him up the porch steps to the empty chair and dumping his friend into it.

I popped out two painkillers and handed them to Law with both bottles of water. “Drink those, and then you can have coffee. There’s more coffee in the pot if you want,” I added, turning my attention to Lurch.

“Thanks, Juju.” Lurch removed his boots and walked on socked feet to the kitchen—I guessed so he wouldn’t wake Glacier.

Settling back in my chair, I drew the blanket over me again. Lawless finished his first bottle of water with a belch.

I wrinkled my nose, waving a hand at the stench. “Fuck, Law, what the hell did you drink last night?”

“Sorry, Ju,” he apologised, leaning his head back on the chair and closing his eyes. “Tequila. And I should know better.”

I pushed the second bottle of water towards him with a chuckle. “Drink.”

He rolled his head towards me. “Yes, ma’am.”

Lurch returned by the time Lawless was halfway through the second bottle and leaned against the rail surrounding the porch.